The conversion of a motorcycle into a tricycle involves removing the single rear wheel of the motorcycle and replacing it with a rear axle assembly of the tricycle. The rear axle assembly is mounted to the motorcycle chassis by means of a pivotally mounted swing arm assembly.
Modern motorcycles are driven by a belt drive, which is considered as superior to a chain drive which the belt drive replaced as an industry standard. However, when a motorcycle having a belt drive is converted into a tricycle, the custom in the industry is to convert the drive system from a belt drive to a chain drive. Although this is acknowledged as a regressive step, it is generally considered unavoidable that this be done as the swing arm assembly prevents the installation of a continuous belt drive. In comparison the swing arm assembly does not prevent a chain drive from being installed as two of the interconnecting links of the chain can be separated to pass the chain around the barrier formed by the swing arm assembly.
The closest known prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,449 which issued to D'Addio et al in 1982 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,960 which issued to McConnell in 1981. The D'Addio reference is the primary reference which discloses a swing arm assembly that includes a rear axle assembly and a swing arm having a first end and a second end. The first end is adapted for attachment to a motorcycle chassis. The second end has attachment means. Means is provided for detachably securing second end of the swing arm to the rear axle assembly. The McConnell reference discloses an alignment mechanism which enables alignment to be adjusted by means of a bolt during the assembly of a conversion kit.